Day 1 of our United States holiday, and for a minute we thought that we would miss our flight, after, despite arriving two and half hours early, we faced a massive queue to check in. Just before we arrived busloads of World Youth Pilgrims had turned up, and swamped the airport. Ten minutes before our departure time we cleared customs, only to find that we need not have stressed, as the flight was delayed half an hour.
At the departure gate I saw our first celebrity, the ex footballer, Ian Roberts. Louise and I have a bet to see who can be the first to spot the most celebrities. One up to me.
After the flight to London, our LA flight is a piece of cake. For a boy who grew up on World Book Encyclopedia, and American popular culture, the States feels very familiar. In the taxi, we pass the same businesses as in Australia; McDonalds, Shell Service Stations, Thrifty rental cars, Westfield Shopping Centres, etc. The only real shock was the ten lane freeway ( Why can't we have roads like these?).
The Beverly Hilton Hotel is very nice. They have an excellent high speed internet service (DSL) in the room, which will keep me occupied, and away from the big flat screen television, that Louise has naturally claimed.
We're just going to freshen up now, and head off to the massive Westfield Century City Shopping Centre, where we will, no doubt, wander around jetlagged, like zombies!
